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June 16, 2014

Five awesome highlights from our trip to Vancouver

Though I'm still very much in the throes of recovering from our awesome jaunt to Vancouver (traveling always does a total number on my health - but it's well worth it!), while the memories are still fresh as the first daisies of summer in my mind, I wanted to share a selection of happenings that really jump out at me from our week spent in British Columbia's largest city (which, interestingly enough, despite its size, is not the province's capital, that honour goes to the elegant city of Victoria on Vancouver Island).

We left town bright and early on the morning of the 4th and were guided from the very first to the very last minute of our drive with picturesque sunshine and ideal road conditions. Upon arriving in Vancouver, we made a beeline for our hotel, the immensely posh Fairmount Hotel, aka the Hotel Vancouver, on West Georgia Street (which stayed at thanks to Tony's company). This majestic building nestled smack dab in the heart of downtown Vancouver was built in 1939 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Elements of late art deco and other types of mid-century design can be seen all throughout the hotel, from the grand lobby to the suites to the halls - and even the onsite mailbox itself (which, being the most gloriously pretty Canada Post mailbox I'd ever seen in person, I couldn't help but take a photograph of the moment I first laid eyes on it). Naturally, I was in my vintage loving element in our swanky digs.

In the days that would follow, I didn't get much in the way of the "rest" in R&R that I'd hoped for before we left, but even at its most hectic of moments, there was a certain sense of relaxation to my own time in Vancouver because my days were spent doing things that I truly loved and which were frequently well outside of my usual routine when I'm home in Penticton.

The following is a selection of five that will linger in my mind for a very long time to come, each different but united by longtime loves and the same magnificent city.

1. The Vancouver Aquarium: As one might imagine, aquatic life abounds at the famous Vancouver Aquarium, which is renowned not only for its diverse, beautiful creatures of all sizes, but for the important scientific research, as well as its rescue and release program, that take place within its gates. A true favourite destination of mine for as far back as I have memories of Vancouver, a trip to the city just isn't the same for me without a visit to the Aquarium, very much including saying a hello to the ultra adorable otters (otters being one of my all-time favourite animals). Though it was raining on the day we were there (Murphy's Law, I say, as it was raining the last time we were there all the way back in early 2007), we still had a blast and took in three great outdoor shows on top of seeing all of the exhibits indoors.

2. Vancouver Flea Market: An absolute institution in the city that is known province wide (and no doubt beyond!), the Vancouver Flea Market, in operation since 1983, is an indoor event that takes place nearly every Saturday and Sunday of the year. Housed in a large red barn, this large flea market plays host to more than 250 vendors selling an array of antique, vintage, and modern items, including absolutely no shortage of beautiful vintage jewelry in a wide range price points (vintage clothing was almost nonexistent there though, save primarily for a few fur coats). Admission is just $1.00 and you can get your hand stamped, which will allow you to come back for free again later the same day, if so desired.

I got up early on Saturday morning specifically to make the flea market my first stop. I was there for over four hours and highly suspect I still missed at least a few stalls, simply because there was so much to see and so many delightful sellers to chat with. Though I did find some of the vendor's prices to be on the steep side (something that is, objectively, true of most things with price tags on them all throughout the city), a bit of sleuthing and bartering landed me a few good deals on some really lovely antique and vintage pieces, nearly all of which will be headed straight to my Etsy shop in the coming summer weeks.

3. Mintage: While I had the great pleasure of visiting a number of vintage and thrift stores in Vancouver during my lovely week there, none stand out in my mind quite like Mintage on Commercial Drive. Though it has been in business for nine years now, this was my first visit to Mintage and to say that it was love at first sight would be understatement. Unlike many of the vintage (and thrift) stores that I visited, Mintage's prices were fair and well within the means of my personal shopping budget and as a result, I came home with two good sized brown paper bags loaded with vintage skirts, dresses, scarves, handbags and my second ever Mexican Tourist jacket. Whereas most of the other vintage items I bought in Vancouver are destined for the shop, these particular beauties now reside in my own closet and are some of the first vintage pieces I've bought for myself this year, as I've been devoting as much of my funds as I can to sourcing for the shop, not myself.

In addition to having good prices, Mintage is chock-a-block with early, mid-century, and more recent vintage finds for gals and gents alike, all of which are well currated, intuitively laid out, and watched over by some of the absolutely friendliest staff you could ever hope to encounter. In fact, I was having such a ball selecting, trying items on and talking with the two employees (Alex and Mitchell, both pictured below in an photo I took of them that day) that I spent more than two fabulous hours at Mintage and will making it one of my very first stops from here on out whenever I'm in Vancouver.

4. Giving an impromptu presentation at New World Designs: A shopping trip to New World Designs, a wonderful Vancouver vintage reproduction and rockabilly clothing shop resulted in one of the coolest vintage related experiences I've ever had: giving a 100% unplanned, on the fly presentation on vintage hairstyles, makeup, clothing, and blogging to a group of about a dozen terrific ladies who had initially planned for an evening with a professional hairdresser who was going to show them some vintage hairstyles. It turned out that that lady ran into some issues (I don't know all the details) with her flight back to Vancouver and was delayed, so as a result the shop's owner was thinking she might have to cancel or alter the evening she had planned.

By sheer coincidence, I was in store as this was unfolding and after chatting with the owner for a little while, giving her my card and explaining who I was and what I do, she asked if I'd be interested in filling in for the MIA hairdresser. I explained that I was neither a pro at hair or makeup, and that fashion, history and blogging were my specialties, but that I'd be happy to do my best at demonstrating vintage looks (on a model from the audience) and discussing those topics in general. Mere minutes later I was in front of a crowd doing precisely that for the better part of the next two hours (which happily, I pretty much had free anyways, so the timing couldn't have been better).

It was an exhilarating, fantastic experience and I loved receiving and answering a slew of diverse, intelligent, downright cool questions from all of the lovely ladies who had shown up for the evening's previously planned presentation. I've never spoken to a live audience in person before about vintage (kind of hard to believe at this point in my life, I know), and despite my epic shyness, I've never had a problem with public speaking (in fact, I often prefer it to one-on-one or super small group discussions with strangers), so I was able to wing it and based on the feedback from the shop's owner and some of the audience members at the end of the night, things seemed to have gone great (phew! :)).

In fact, two of the gals (close friends) in the audience invited me out to a pub down the street afterwards and though I don't drink, I was happy to sip ice water while the three of us kept chatting about vintage, blogging, Vancouver, and many other great subjects well into the night. I had no idea when I first stepped foot in New World Designs late on Monday afternoon that not only would I soon be presenting on vintage to crowd, but also that before the evening was up, I would have two new friends from Vancouver. It was an almost surreal chain of events and one that has me seriously thinking that I should - with actual planning involved - give similar presentations on vintage here in the Okanagan, if I can determine that there would be enough interest from the public in them.

5. Just being in the city again: Some people are squarely a city or country person, I however fall into the camp of those who find they adore both and can only go so long in one without greatly missing the other. As awesome and genuinely important as small town living and outdoors serenity both are (a point I delved into earlier this year in this post), I still need a solid hit of city living every now and then few places in Canada can deliver that with the gusto, passion, and beauty as Vancouver. I felt especially alive, recharged and joyful while there and know that it will help set the mood and pace for me throughout the coming summer months, as I power straight ahead with my blogging, Etsy shop running, and day-to-day life.

{All photos in this post were taken by me with my iPhone and can be seen in my Instragram stream - where you can view lots more fun and exciting photos from Vancouver, including some of the vintage outfits I wore while there.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Though it had been nearly 7.5 years since my last journey to Vancouver, I can say with great conviction and hope that I don't believe it will anywhere near as long before the next - in fact, I hope to make it back there again at least one more time, if circumstances will permit, before the year is out.

I'm wild about Vancouver. I was born a stone's throw away from this vivacious city and truly felt like a powerful love for it was rekindled in a new and exciting way during our recent week there. Though I have a long way to go before I know it like the back of my hand (the ways I do, say, Calgary, where I lived in my late teen years), as we were driving out of town on our way home, passing streets such as Robson, Main, Terminal, and Cordova, I couldn't help but smile gleefully to myself over the fact that I now have a much better an idea of where they are and what they house. I know also that each subsequent trip to Vancouver will help me further piece together and get to know this lively, action filled city on the sea.

Though my bags are unpacked and my purchases tucked away, a bigger part of my heart than ever still remains in Vancouver and it will be all I can do not to start crossing off the days until we just happen to find ourselves saying hello to the otters, hitting up the flea market, and shopping at some of the city's coolest vintage stores again. Oh, how I can scarcely wait!!!

34 comments:

Wow! Not only do you have us wanting to go there ourselves, but your story about the impromptu presentation is amazing! Of course you have the chops to deliver a lecture on these topics. I'm so glad you volunteered and had the fun, rewarding experience you did. How terrific!!

I'm so glad to see that you had a great time in Vancouver! It's too bad that it does a number on your health, but it's so nice to be able to travel and experience a different environment. Any time I travel, I usually mean to hit up some vintage stores, and it sounds like you had a lot more luck than I typically do. I can't wait to see all of the new outfits you come up with using your spoils. And I'll also have to keep an eye out for those new treasures on the Etsy shop.Cheers!Jessica

What fun I had reading through this post. I clicked on all your links, viewed the spectacular Fairmont Hotel, Browsed the Flea Market's facebook page, lingered awhile on the Mintage blog, peaked at New World Designs, and explored your delightful Instagram photos.

What a story and what an exciting experience to give a vintage presentation! I can just imagine the road this may have opened for you.

Your trip all sounds just wonderful, and I am so happy to read that the weather was good and all went well.

We also just returned from our little family vacation at our favorite ocean destination, Pacific Grove/Monterey, Ca. It's time to get back to work.

oh wow! i sounds like you had just a delightful time! and that impromptu presentation you gave... lady, you rock!!! i bet you are so glad to get away and have fun and 'relax'. here's to many more awesome adventures this summer :)~Abigail

I've been really looking forward to hearing about your trip, after seeing a couple of photos on Facebook. Doing the presentation sounds like a really wonderful experience for you, and you're so brave to get up in front of a group of people like that and just wing it! Fair play! But then you have a wealth of knowledge, and I for one would be an audience member in a flash, if the great expanse of the Atlantic wasn't between us!

It sounds like you had an absolutely super time. I am so glad that you enjoyed yourself and I hope that it does not take you too long to recover. I would love to see sea otters, they have such cute little faces and are so clever. The vintage stores sound marvellous, I can't wait to see what you bought. The unexpected evening giving a talk sounds rather wonderful, well done for stepping up and providing them with an unforgettable evening.

How exciting about your impromptu presentation! I'm so glad you had a wonderful time on your trip.Nick and I have been discussing a possible road trip to BC in July. We have friends who live in Kamloops who we haven't seen in 5 years or so...if our plans come to fruition we should try to stop near your town for a little blogger meet up!!

Thank you, sweet gal! It really was an exhilierating first that has sparked a new passion for public speaking (and getting the ball rolling hopefully on doing Youtube videos) in me.

How awesome that you may be headed out this way soon! I would love (underline that a million times) to meet up with you in this part of of the country. If you can't make it down to Penticton, I may be able to head up to Kamloops (I have an aunt there, so I always have somewhere to stay). Please keep me in the loop - I'll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed to no end!

Sounds like a fabulous trip! I know what you mean about needing to recover after a holiday; I have learned that I need to make sure I have some extra time off work when I get back from traveling. Totally worth it though! ~missfancylibrarian

Great minds!!! Tony and I try to that as well and we also like to keep the dog at the boarding kennel (she adores it there, so it's not a problem in her cute little books) additional day between when we get back and when we go to pick her up, just in case we're super beat that day and/or there is some unforeseen delay that causes us to get home later than expected.

Oh what an amazing adventure you had! Speaking to an audience about vintage gahhhhh I am sooooo proud of you! That is just amazing! Made me wish I was there to listen heheehe Thank you for sharing about your trip!!! xox

What a whirlwind adventure for you! So happy that you now have a great experience to add to your memories. I must get to Vancouver one day. How fun to do a presentation! Did you take some pictures at the event? I'm curious what you discussed and what types of questions the ladies asked. Looking forward to seeing more pictures in your upcoming blog posts:)

Thank you very much, dearest Joanna, it really was a fabulously cool experience! I pulled out my phone at the end of the night, planning to take a photo myself, but the shop's owner offered to do so and so I have one that she shot of me with most of the ladies from that night in it. That's all though - I would have liked to have gotten more, but one is better than none.

There were so many great questions! Everything from how to stop red lipstick from bleeding to how often I write new blog posts to how to create barrel curls (and tons more!).

I'm so glad you had such a satisfying, successful, and energising trip. Otters are one of my favourite animals (well, it's a long list, but they are definitely up there!). I spent a good part of our visit to Vancouver Aquarium watching one drifting and dozing in the water. So gorgeous.

Congrats on your impromptu speaking engagement! It sounds like lots of fun. I find that, although I was once terrified of public speaking, if you really know your subject, it comes so much more easily. I can imagine you having no trouble, since you would have so much knowledge on the topic!

Oh my Gosh! I'm wordless to this grand adventure of yours, my sweet friend. What a memorable time! I just can't believe how things developed and suddenly you were in front of a crowd doing a presentation on a passionate subject such as vintage. Seriously, my jaw dropped! I am just so happy for you Jessica. It was well worthy the effort you token to go. New doors are opening! ;-)

I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time and what a city indeed! I was there for 10 days and did and saw none of those things. We are already making a list of things we want to do when we go back, now I've got a few more to add.

I was just in Vancouver last month visiting family that live in Langley. I dragged my Mom into Mintage and we had some fun with me trying on loads of dresses. It was a blast. I'm sad I didn't get photos. There were so many that I loved. I'm trying my hardest to slow down on the buying front lately. It was tough in that store though. My problem is I love the cocktail/evening gowns. There was a real stunner there with a train that everyone including myself loved on me. {sigh} if only I were a movie star!

How brilliant you were able to do an impromptu presentation! You know you are a professional and know your stuff when...you can do that! : )

Sounds like a great trip.

I'm hoping to return more often to visit my parents now and next time I go I want to hit the flea market. Thanks for the suggestion!

So glad to hear your trip went well, and I can't wait to hear all the details in coming posts. Vintage expert, shop owner, charmer of sea animals, blog author extraordinaire (I'm writing your new business cards for you) you do it all so well. Here's to a great summer.

Sounds like you had a great time here! Lucky you to be able to stay at the Hotel Vancouver -- I've only ever been through the lobby, but it's so lovely. The aquarium is a blast (they just had an enormous expansion, which I can't wait to see), and I hope you were able to see some of Stanley Park while you were there. I'll have to stop my Mintage. It sounds awesome. :) I hope your next visit is soon -- there are so many more things to do here!

This looks like a fantastic trip (especially the aquarium, because aww!). How amazing that you were able to step in and talk vintage with those ladies with barely any notice or nerves. I guess you were on solid ground with knowledge of your topic! Well done to you, I feel that you are doing so well to do all these different things with your health. I hope you continue to go from strength to strength x x

That really is a pretty post box.I always liked the idea of going to Canada but my fear of flying has intensified this past year a thousandfold so I fear my only way would be by boat and I am sure this would be silly money.

Thank you Jessica for filling in at New World. I just came back from my second workshop (vintage roller sets, oo la la) at New World Designs. Between the information provided, your enthusiastic love of vintage and the techniques I learnt tonight, I am inspired!

Hello lovely Cara, thank you very much for your wonderful comment. I have been secretly hoping that someone from that night would come say hello here on my blog and am tickled pink to no end that you did. I wish I could have been there to enjoy the second (and the other upcoming) workshops, too. Alas, Pen to Van is quite the commute for just one night, so I don't see it happening, but I'll definitely be headed to NWD the next time I'm in town for some more retail fun! :)

how incredibly exciting for you!! what a wonderful experience you had with new world designs. i hope you can get to do something as great as that again sometime soon. so happy you had a great time. i love country living, but don't think i'll ever get to enjoy such a living. i'd also love a little home around munich, too, wishful thinking!

Oh, you make me wanna go to Vancouver, and I would have loved to be amongst the audience listining to your vintage presentation. I'm sure it was a blast, and I suppose you can answer about any question thrown at you. :) I suppose the bigger audience is not so scary because it is not so intimidating, if that's the correct word in English. I mean you don't look people right in the eye, and you were also a pro on the subject, dear.

You would flat out adore it there, I just know it! I hope you're able to visit one day. If you ever do, please let me know, as I would absolutely love to try and take a trip down there to visit you - it might be our only chance to ever meet in person (though, who knows, there is a slim possibility I may find myself in your beautiful country one day, too - that would be fantastic if it were to come to be!).

Yes, very much so, I think that fact that I'm not looking just one (or a couple) people in the eye and that I get to address a wider audience is primarily why, even being crazy shy, I've never had a problem with public speaking or found it to be intimidating (spot on word there, my dear, no worries :)). The bigger the crowd in my books, the merrier! I truly do want to try and get enough local interest going to put on a presentation (or series of them) here or in Kelowna, the big town an hour away from us, now and will be looking into getting the ball rolling on that a bit later in the summer. Perhaps there won't be the interest needed to hold it, but I'll never know if I don't try.

Stellar idea, dear Sanne! Definitely, I want to start making Youtube videos (hopefully this year, but we'll see - between Tony's super busy work schedule, my blog and shop, and the usual ups and downs of my health, it can be hard to see where we'll squeeze them in, but I am determined to!) and so filming a presentation like this would be a stellar thing to add to my (future) videos there. Thank you very much for suggesting it!

I'm Jessica, a lifelong lover of all things antique and vintage, especially those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

This blog is my visual scrapbook in which I record and share my thoughts on the multitude of sources, people and products that inspire and feed a modern gal's addiction to the past. I also post about the vintage clothes, hairstyles and make-up looks that I adore wearing.

Stay a spell and have a blast as we explore the incomparably fantastic world of vintage history and fashion together.

All images used on this site are credited to their original posters/creators/sources,
however if at any time you would prefer not to see one of your images here, please email me and I'll take it down right away.

PS...I just wanted to say thank you very much for visiting and to tell you that you're equal parts awesome and beautiful.